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One had better die fighting against injustice than die like a dog or a rat in a trap.

Ida B. Wells

The miscegenation laws of the South only operate against the legitimate union of the races; they leave the white man free to seduce all the colored girls he can, but it is death to the colored man who yields to the force and advances of a similar attraction in white women.
IDA B. WELLS

Against Attract Free Law Leave Legitimate Man Miscegenation Only Operate Race Seduce South Union White Women
The Afro-American is not a bestial race. If this work can contribute in any way towards proving this, and at the same time arouse the conscience of the American people to a demand for justice to every citizen, and punishment by law for the lawless,
IDA B. WELLS

Arouse Bestial Contribute Country Demand Every Law People Prove Punishment Race Same Time Towards Way Work
The appeal to the white man’s pocket has ever been more effectual than all the appeals ever made to his conscience.
IDA B. WELLS

All Appeal Been Conscience Effectual Ever Made Man Pocket White
In slave times the Negro was kept subservient and submissive by the frequency and severity of the scourging, but, with freedom, a new system of intimidation came into vogue; the Negro was not only whipped and scourged; he was killed.
IDA B. WELLS

Country Freedom Frequency Kept People Scourging Severity Slave Submissive Time
I came home every Friday afternoon, riding the six miles on the back of a big mule. I spent Saturday and Sunday washing and ironing and cooking for the children and went back to my country school on Sunday afternoon.
IDA B. WELLS

Afternoon Back Big Came Every Friday Home Mile Mothing Mule
The South is brutalized to a degree not realized by its own inhabitants, and the very foundation of government, law and order, are imperilled.
IDA B. WELLS

Brutalized Degree Foundation Government Inhabitantm Very Law Order Own Realize South
The white man’s victory soon became complete by fraud, violence, intimidation and murder.
IDA B. WELLS

Complete Intimidation Man Murder Soon Victory Violence White
The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.
IDA B. WELLS

Light Right Them Truth Turn Upon Way Wrong
There must always be a remedy for wrong and injustice if we only know how to find it.
IDA B. WELLS

Always Find Injustice Know Remedy Wrong
I had an instinctive feeling that the people who have little or no school training should have something coming into their homes weekly which dealt with their problems in a simple, helpful way… so I wrote in a plain, common-sense way on the things that concerned our people.
IDA B. WELLS

Come Feeling Home Instinctive Little People Schoo Something Training Weekly
The mob spirit has grown with the increasing intelligence of the Afro-American.
IDA B. WELLS

Country Grown Increase Intelligent Mob Spirit
The only times an Afro-American who was assaulted got away has been when he had a gun and used it in self-defense.
IDA B. WELLS

Assault Been Country Defense Gum Only Self Time Used
I felt that one had better die fighting against injustice than to die like a dog or rat in a trap.
IDA B. WELLS

Better Die Dog Fell Fight Had Injustice One Rat Tarp
The lesson this teaches and which every Afro-American should ponder well, is that a Winchester rifle should have a place of honor in every black home, and it should be used for that protection which the law refuses to give.
IDA B. WELLS

Black Country Every Home Honor Lessons People Person Pinder Place Protection Refuse Teacher Well
A Winchester rifle should have a place of honor in every black home.
IDA B. WELLS

Back Ever Home Honor Place Rifle Winchester
Our country’s national crime is lynching. It is not the creature of an hour, the sudden outburst of uncontrolled fury, or the unspeakable brutality of an insane mob.
IDA B. WELLS

Brutal Country Creaturem Hour Crime Fury Insane Lynching Mob National Our Outburst Sudden Uncontrol Unspeakable

One had better die fighting against injustice than die like a dog or a rat in a trap.

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One had better die fighting against injustice than die like a dog or a rat in a trap.

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